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Algeria is one of the largest countries in Africa.

This week, we look at the country of Algeria, in north Africa. Algeria is one of the biggest countries in Africa. It is so big that you could fit almost four states of Texas inside its borders. Algeria's population is about 33 million people. The city shown here is Algeria's capital city, Algiers. Algiers is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Part of Algeria is covered by the world's biggest warm-climate desert, the Sahara.

The Algerian flag is green and white, with a red star and crescent moon shape. The color green, and the crescent and star shapes, are symbols of Algeria's main religion, Islam. Islam's followers are called Muslims. About 99 percent of Algeria's population is Muslim. Most Algerians come from an ethnic group called Berbers. Berbers are the native people of North Africa, and they speak a variety of Berber languages. Some people in Algeria speak a Berber language, but most people speak Arabic. Arabs are a separate ethnic group that spread from the Middle East centuries ago, and mixed with the Berbers in North Africa. Many people in Algeria also speak French, and Algeria once had a large French population. Most French people have left Algeria now, but the language is still used today. Let's find out more about France's big role in Algeria's history.